Tears are pouring from my eyes in such volume it takes both sleeves to absorb the torrent. I'm experiencing something unbelievable. Something transformational. Something surreal. It occurs to me that the last time I had this feeling was on the morning of September 11th 2001. Only this time, the towers...

It's Sunday night and I am on the couch trying to watch "60 Minutes" with my wife. With school starting the following week, my three boys are blowing off the final blasts of summer steam. I ask for some quiet. Nothing doing. As my 45th birthday prepares to bushwack me...